Install CM 12.0 Final Android 5.0.2 Custom ROM for HTC Droid DNA

The official stable of CM 12 based on Android 5.0.2 AOSP is now live for the HTC Droid DNA device. This is the tutorial that you can use as guidance in order to get the new custom ROM installed on your smartphone.

If you don’t want to run Nightlies CM 12 builds or any other unfinished ROMs, then the CM 12 Snapshot (Final) is the ROM that you should try to flash on your HTC Droid DNA. Check the CyanogenMod blog post here for more info.

use this guide only with the HTC Droid DNA device.
– do not try to flash any file you might find in this post on other different Android devices.

your device has to be on an unlocked bootloader, rooted and running a custom Recovery like CWM or TWRP.
– the installed custom Recovery needs to be updated to its latest version so that it will support the installation of a brand new Android 5.0.2-based custom ROM.

the tutorial features two extra steps that you have to apply before installing the new ROM: NANDROID ROM Backup and Factory Reset.
– the NANDROID Backup creates a complete restore point for your phone, one that can easily be used to repair your device.
– the ‘factory reset’ process wipes the old ROM and it allows you to apply a fresh CM 12 Final ROM installation.
– ‘factory reset’ doesn’t delete any data from the internal storage of your phone.
– do not skip these steps.

if you wish to save any data from installed programs or any other files, then you can use the Helium tool.
– don’t try to use Titanium Backup as it won’t work with any CM 12 ROMs.
– sync Contacts and People details with your Gmail account.

your phone’s battery charge level needs to be over 50% so that it won’t power off during the installation process.

use this tutorial only if you are an advanced Android user.
– don’t blame us if you brick the phone nor in case you lose any important data files.

read all info in this article and make sure not to skip any steps.

Now that you’ve read all that you can continue to the next part of this post and learn how to flash a new custom ROM.

Transfer both zip files to your phone’s internal storage.
– after the files are copied you can disconnect the device from PC.
– do not extract the archived contents.

Switch off your Droid DNA phone.

Now you need to boot it in Custom Recovery Mode.
– remember that both CWM and TWRP Recovery versions are working with this post.

First thing that you need to do is to create a complete NANDROID Backup for the installed ROM:
– CWM: select ‘backup and restore’ option, while for TWRP you should open the ‘backup’ menu.
– set an easy to remember title for the backup file and confirm process.
– continue to the next step when you’re done with it.

Now you can apply the ‘factory reset’:
– for CWM open the ‘wipe data/ factory reset’ menu, while for TWRP use the ‘Wipe’ options.
– confirm process.

When the new ROM has been successfully flashed you can install the Gapps zip too.
– use the same instructions as in step 8 in order to find and flash Gapps for your HTC Droid DNA phone.

Reboot the device in normal mode after all the new files are flashed with success.

If you need more help completing this installation, then you should use the comments field below.

If the CM 12 Final Snapshot Android 4.4.4 ROM isn’t installed successfully at your first attempt, then you can retry the whole guide more than once up until you get it right. Make sure that in case you do repeat the tutorial, you will also make sure that the phone meets all requirements and that you won’t skip any steps.